In a chilling series of events at Moreau Lake State Park in Saratoga County, New York, 46-year-old Craig Nelson Ross Jr. stands accused of kidnapping a young girl named Charlotte Sena while she was out riding her bicycle.
“I couldn’t care less,” expressed Joshua Ross, the accused’s son, when confronted by the media. “It’s disgusting, it’s sickening…he should die.” From the Ross family home in Porter Corners, Joshua fervently signaled to the press to leave him alone, making it clear that he wanted no association with the alleged crime or his father, as reported by TMZ.
Victim Found Safe
Charlotte Sena, the 9-year-old victim, disappeared on Saturday from the campground where she was staying. In a twist of fate, she was found by the police on Monday, concealed inside a cabinet in a trailer located behind the mother of the accused. “She knew she was being rescued. She knew she was in good hands,” stated Gov. Kathy Hochul, emphasizing the relief of the discovery.
Investigative Leads and Arrest
Ross Jr. is not only accused of the abduction but is also believed to have penned a ransom note, intending to extract money in exchange for Charlotte’s safe return. As the investigation unfurled, the police charged him with kidnapping and hinted at more charges forthcoming.
A significant breakthrough came when a ransom note was spotted being dropped at the Sena family’s mailbox in Greenfield. Gov. Hochul described the incident as “extraordinary.” The police swiftly acted, extracting fingerprints from the note. The prints matched those of Ross Jr., connecting him to a 1999 driving under the influence incident.
Following the lead, law enforcement zeroed in on a property owned by Ross Jr.’s mother. They encountered him on Monday at around 6:30 p.m. and, after facing some resistance, took him into custody. He is currently held at the Saratoga County Correctional Center without bail, with a preliminary hearing set for Friday, Oct. 6.
It’s worth noting that Ross Jr., according to reports from the Daily News, is not a registered sex offender. Some neighbors informed the Daily Mail that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and had recently relocated to his mother’s residence in Ballston Spa due to his ailment.
An Unresolved Case Echoes
The incident brings to mind the still unresolved disappearance of Dulce Maria Alavez, a Mexican-born girl who went missing in 2019 at age five from a park in New Jersey. Despite the considerable $75,000 reward and the expertise of the FBI, she remains untraced, underscoring the unpredictable nature of such cases.
Disclaimer
All charges at this juncture are merely allegations. Every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.